The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday ordered the removal of Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Syed Zulfi Bukhari’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
Bukhari had moved the IHC in October against the placement of his name by the Interior Ministry on the no-fly list upon the request of the National Accountability Bureau after he was accused of owning off-shore companies.
A two-member IHC bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani had reserved its decision on the petition in a previous hearing on Dec 4.
The court directed the anti-corruption watchdog to continue its inquiry against Bukhari as per the law.
The verdict stated that the court’s decision would not affect the NAB inquiry and noted that Bukhari was cooperating with the bureau.
It further noted that NAB had itself given Bukhari permission to go overseas once and that there was nothing on the record to show that Bukhari wasn’t cooperating with the bureau.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader is facing another case in the Supreme Court, where his appointment as premier’s aide was challenged on account of his holding dual nationality.
Published in Daily Times, December 13th 2018.
